Last December, my husband ("M"), daughter ("Y") and I took a trip to Italy and ended up someplace unexpected. We were walking around Rome and got caught in the rain near the Spanish Steps, so M suggested we go into Babington's to warm up. To my delight, it was an English tea room! I'd always wanted to have afternoon tea, and being soaked by the rain quickly became an afterthought.
When we stopped in for our visit, Babington's was celebrating its 125th anniversary (it's been around since 1893). They were closing early that afternoon for a special event and there were only a couple of open tables, but they were nice enough to seat us without a reservation.
The inside was warm and cozy. The porcelain tea cups were a retro teal color that would go beautifully with my tea set at home (not available for sale, though) and the silver teaware pieces each had a cat design on top. Yes, a cat. Sooo cute!
We ordered a special menu option which included a slice of anniversary cake and tea. Our server told us we were lucky because we got the last slice of cake for the day. I decided Babington's was meant to be.
Y also approved.
The service was good overall and they never made us feel rushed. And - as if the experience itself wasn't memorable enough, M got up to pay the bill and was gone for quite some time. It turns out he also stopped at the gift shop and waited while one of the staff searched through all of their inventory to find one last anniversary spoon for sale.
All I need now is the rest of the matching homeware...
All I need now is the rest of the matching homeware...
:-: Teatime Tidbit :-:
Before health and safety regulations became enforced, there used to be a resident cat named Mascherino that roamed around the tea room. This was the inspiration for Babington's cat design.
Have you ever been to Babington's or unexpectedly found yourself having afternoon tea?
Let me know in the comments below.
Have you ever been to Babington's or unexpectedly found yourself having afternoon tea?
Let me know in the comments below.
Thanks for stopping by.
See you next teatime,
C
Hi! I collect teacups and demitasses. I am glad I stopped by. Have a lovely Sunday!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'll be sure to check out your blog. Have a great weekend!
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